Thrifty Thursday: It's Chic to be Cheap! {6}

{ScORe!}

I wanted to share some of my recent yard sale/consignment sale finds this morning to prove to you that you can find some great bargains out there...sometimes you just have to be patient (and dig). Remember, one girl's trash is another girl's treasure!

I was on my way to a MOPS leadership conference when I spotted a yard sale at a nearby church. I had plenty of time, so I stopped in, and I'm so glad I did. I got the dress and the pants for 50 cents each! The dress will fit Natalie this Spring, and I think it will look so cute with a big white hairbow, white ruffle socks, and her Mary Janes. The pants are pink cordouroy and it's hard to tell from the photo, but the green gross-grain ribbon at the bottom has pink polka dots! They are too big for her now, but they'll fit just in time for preschool in the Fall!

Another local church hosts a children's consignment sale twice a year, and it's probably my favorite local sale because of the fab-u-lous prices! I picked these up for Natalie, as well as several adorable top and capri sets and a little "birdie" capri set for Michaela Byrd. I love little girls in sun dresses when the weather is right, and the rick-rack on the yellow dress is too sweet. I consigned a few items this year so that I could shop early, and I'm so glad I did. They don't regulate the "shop early" hours very well, so the church rec hall was filled with people, I'm certain not all of whom were actually consignors.

The other sale I like to go to is probably the most popular one in the area. It's like crack for mommies. I T put up 20 of those plastic "yard" signs around town so that I could shop an hour earlier than the regular volunteers (suckers!). This was really important to me this year because while this particular consignment sale is huge and you can find some good deals, the lowest they will mark something is $4.00. I've found some outrageously priced items before. Last year, I saw 20 moms pass over a Gymboree top, pants, and sweater set that was priced at $40. Absolutely adorable, but I ain't forkin' over $40 for something that will inevitably be covered in dog hair and/or ketchup. With the economy trouble looming over us, I wanted to be there early enough to grab the cheapest items of the best quality. It was crazy to see some of the mothers literally yelling at their husbands and kids to "go,go,go" run across the store area and snatch up different items. Along with a $6 bag full of Fisher Price Loving Family people and accessories, here are just a few things I picked up for the girls.

J'adore "ruffle bottoms!" The ruffles on the seat of the little purple outfit are what made me pick it up. Michaela Byrd will also look too cute in the little navy & white watermelon "crop" top and shorts.

I tried not to pick up anything that was more than $4 or $5. The navy and white polka dot set will be so cute on Natalie...I think it may have been $6, but I couldn't help myself. The purple and pink "ensemble" is actually two pairs of little cotton capris with pink and purple tees. $5, I think! Great play clothes for a three year old!

Natalie is a child after my own heart--she also loves flip flops, and has been asking when she can have a pair. When I spotted this little Gymboree halter top and short set, I knew she'd love it. The top ties around the neck with a blue ribbon, and while I am not all about "bedazzled" clothing items for children, the bottom of the top has a few teeny tiny little *diamonds* for some extra flair.

More cute capri sets!

This was the most expensive set I bought for Natalie. $12 for five pairs of Target's Circo brand play shorts in excellent condition WITH five or six tops that mix and match. Those shorts run $4 a pair at Target, so I felt justified spending the money.

My girls are now completely outfitted (more or less) for Spring and Summer! There's a bunch more I didn't take pitcures of because frankly, I was getting tired of it, and Michaela Byrd was hanging on my leg. They still need Easter dresses (okay, not really...I could recycle some other dresses they have, but I'm fighting the urge to splurge!), Michaela needs some white Mary Janes, and Natalie could use another pair of sandals since that's all she wears all summer, but I think I did good! I could easily run into The Children's Place or Gymboree and buy the same brand-new outfit that 357 other little girls in town will be wearing, but where's the fun in that? There's something to be said about the thrill of the hunt...who says men are the hunters?! Haha!

**Can anyone else tell me why the bold and italics won't turn off, no matter how many times I "uncheck" them? It's hurting my eyes....Sometimes I hate Blogger!**

{Anyone else find any cool bargains recently on clothing?}